Key retainer



Dec. 23, 1969 M. A. GLEESON 3,485,070

KEY RETAINER Filed April 8, 1968 Fig. 11

United States Patent 3,485,070 KEY RETAINER Murray A. Gleeson, 4705Montgomery St., Downers Grove, Ill. 60515 Filed Apr. 8, 1968, Ser. No.719,549 Int. Cl. A45c 11/32; A44b 15/00; A47g 29/10 US. Cl. 70-456 7Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A key retainer for a key case. Aplurality of keeper links are independently swingable about a keeper pinmounted on a supporting plate. A key-engaging hook is unlimitedlyswiveled to each of the keeper links. It retains keys positively evenwhen the supporting plate is distorted or flexed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of invention is a key case. Manykey cases available at low cost are prone to accidental loss of one ormore keys or key-engaging hooks. Other key cases which hold the keysmore effectively are of such expensive construction that they must bepriced above the quantity markets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A principal object of the present invention isto provide a key case in and from which keys can be readily inserted andremoved intentionally, but not lost accidentally, and which can bemanufactured and sold at low cost.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide a key retainerfor a key case including a keeper sub-assembly disposed between asupporting plate and a number of key-engaging hooks, the keepersub-assembly consisting of a keeper pin mounted on the plate and keeperlinks each of which has one end hinged to the pin and its other endswiveled to one of the key-engaging hooks.

Another object is to provide a key retainer which will positively retainkeys even when distorted or if made of readily deformable or elasticmaterial.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a key case employing a key retainer inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the key retainer shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the keeper links shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view of one of the keeper links and itscorresponding key-engaging hook, the keeper link being shown in section;

FIG. 6 is fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a modifiedfastening for the keeper pin;

FIG. 7 is an alternating construction of key case shown partially andillustrating an alternate form of keeper link;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the keeper link shown in FIG.7;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 5 0f the keeper link and hooksub-assembly shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a further alternate construction of key case showing anotherform of keeper links;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the keeper links shownin FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary enlarged view similar to FIG.

ice

10 but showing another way of fastening the keeper pin enabling it tofloat.

Like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout thefigures of the drawings.

Referring now in details to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a key retainer 21afiixed as by rivets 22 to a conventional leather case 23 and havingclosure snaps 24, 26.

The key retainer 21 comprises a supporting plate 27 fastened by theabove-mentioned rivets 22. A keeper pin 28 is supported on the plate. Aplurality (in this case six) of keeper links 29 are hinged to the keeperpin. A keyengaging book 31 is swiveled on each link. To fill out thedisclosure, although not comprising a part of the invention, severalkeys 30, are shown in phantom in FIG. 1 but not otherwise in thedrawings.

The supporting plate 27 is preferably made of steel although, as will bedescribed, it may be made of flexible deformable materials. It is formedalong its upper edge with a plurality of spaced, axially aligned,tubular portions 32. Spaces 33 are between the tubular portions.

The keeper pin 28 is held in the tunnel 34 formed by the series oftubular portions 32 in any suitable manner. In a preferred construction,shown in FIG. 3, the tubular end portions 32 are crimped inwardly uponthe pin 28, on the front and back surfaces; these crimps being bettershown at 36 and 37 in FIG. 2. Another construction, advantageous inenabling the pin 28 to float within the tunnel provides a head 38 ateach end of the pin, as sown in FIG. 6.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, each keeper link 29 issubstantially J-shaped and made of metal with a vertical upper leg 39,an angular intermediate section 41 and a horizontal leg 42. Holes 43 and44 are punched in the vertical and horizontal legs for engagementrespectively with the keeper pin 28 and the shank 46 of the key-engaginghook 31, If desired, the horizontal leg 42 may continue upward asanother angular section 41a as shown in broken lines in FIG. 5. Bottomhole 44 is preferably in the plane of vertical leg 39 as shown in FIGS.3 and 5. This enables the hook 31 to swivel freely and without limitabout a swivel axis AA (FIGS. 3 and 5) which intersects the keeper pin28.

Each key-engaging hook 31 is preferably made of spring steel to enable akey or keys to be inserted or removed readily. A headed portion 47 abovethe shank 46 keeps the hook in place within bottom hole 44 of itscorresponding keeper link 29. This enables the entire key case to besuspended from any one of the hooks 31 and freely and unlimitedlyrotated about its respective swivel axis AA. In use, this is asubstantial advantage, because it eliminates binding or twisting of theassembly when a key extending from the case is inserted in a lock andturned. It also enables the user to simply turn the key instead of theentire case when he finds he has attempted to use a key upside down.

As shown in FIG. 3, the spaces 33 between adjacent tubular portions 32of plate 27 are slightly more than the thickness of the strip stock fromwhich the keeper links 29 are made. This allows any individual link toswing freely a full from its inside/storage to its outside/usepositions; yet the tubular portions 32 are close enough to the link toguide and stablize it against twisting.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tubular portions 32 overhang the front surfaceof the plate 27 an amount D which is greater than the width d of thestrip stock from which the keeper link is made.

Thus, the keeper pin 28 provides a positive, stable fulcrum which thekeeper links 29 swing about individually; and the tubular plate portions32. provide positive spacing and guidance for the keeper links along thekeeper pin.

With this construction it is impossible for a key or a key hook to fallout of the key case accidentally. Yet keys may be added or removed asdesired. And these advantages are obtained without using a keeper pin 28of larger diameter or great strength which would be inelfective if itwere bent and permanently deformed.

An alternate form of keeper link 48 is shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. Herethe strip stock is formed as a closed loop with two upper vertical legs39a pressed flat-to-fiat, two angular intermediate sections 41a, and ahorizontal leg 42a. Holes 43a in each of the upper legs engage thekeeper pin 28 and a hole 44a is provided in the horizontal leg toreceive the hook shank 46. The spaces 33a between the tubular portions3211 are somewhat wider than spaces 33 in the FIG. 1 embodiment, therebyaccommodating the double thickness in the vertical legs 39a, 39a.

The alternate keeper link 48 is advantageous where a wider bearing alongthe keeper in 28 is desired for increased stability.

Another alternate form of keeper link 49 is shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and12. Here, it is U-shaped with vertical legs 39b straddling each of thetubular portions 32b and having holes 43b engaging the keeper pin 28.

In FIGS. and 12 both ends of the keeper pin 28 are preferably headed, asat 38, outside the outer legs 39b of the end links 49 to stabilize thelatter and to limit endwise movement of the pin. FIG. 10 illustratescrimps (similar to 36, 37 in FIG. 2) which hold the pin firmly in placein the manner of the FIGS. 1 and 7 embodiments. FIG. 12 is similar toFIG. 10 but deletes the crimps, thereby allowing the pin to float in themanner of the FIG. 6 embodiment. This is especially advantageous withU-shaped keeper inks 49 because it enables the entire key, hook andkeeper sub-assembly t0 float with respect to the series of tubularretainers 32b.

Among the advantages of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 isthat it can accommodate seven key hooks on a plate having seven tubularportions 32d instead of six as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and7. The U-shaped keeper links also provided maximum stability in theentire assembly resulting from the wide span betwen the vertical legs39b, 39b.

Where desired for its pleasant, soft feel and appearance, the supportingplate 27 may be made of any one of a wide variety of plastic orelastomeric materials and the keeper pin 28 may comprise a flexible,wire-like element. This will allow the assembly to bend, twist anddeform without damage while retaining the keys for ready use.

In assembling the key retainer 21, the unheaded end 25 of the hooks 31may first be threaded through the bottom holes 44, 44a or 44b of theirrespective keeper links, then the links may be assembled in the spaces33, 33a, or 33b between the support plate tubular portions 32, 32a, or32b, following which the entire retainer assembly 21, 21a, or 21b may becompleted by locking the keeper pin 28 in its tunnel 34 in one of theways shown.

The vertical spacing between upper legs 39 or 39a and horizontal legs 42or 42a in keeper links 29 and 48 must be sufiicient to enable the hooks31 to be at tached to the keeper links as above described.

A feature of this invention is that the strength of the tubular portions32, 32a or 32b on the supporting plate are utilized most effectively tokeep the key hooks from falling or pulling out. Even with severe pullingor distortion which might open up some of the spaces 33, 3311, or 33b,the keeper links are held in place by the keeper pin and they distributethe pulling load from any one key over several adjacent tubularportions, through the keeper pin. This is a notable advantage of theFIGS. 6 and 12 embodiments which allow the keeper pin to float withinthe tubular portions 32 and 32b and press flatwise against the interiorthereof when any one key is pulled.

While several forms in which the present invention may be embodied havebeen shown and described, using six and seven key hooks, it will beunderstood that various modifications may be made in applying theprinciples'of the invention, and it may readily be applied to keyretainers for other numbers of key hooks.

I claim as my invention:

1. A key retainer for a key case comprising:

a supporting plate;

a keeper pin supported within a plurality of spaced,

axially aligned, tubular portions on said plate;

a plurality of keeper links hingedly mounted on said pin within thespaces between said tubular portions for independent swinging movementabout the axis of the pin;

each of said keeper links having integral first and second opposed legportions; said first leg portion including at least one flat first leghaving a first aperture joumaled about the keeper pin for swingingmovement in a plane normal to the axis thereof; said second leg portionincluding a second leg disposed normal to said first leg and parallel tothe pin axis and having a second aperture therein;

a key-engaging hook having a shank extending through and swiveled ineach of said second apertures and terminating in a retaining headsection on the corresponding second leg for unlimited rotation about aswivel axis normal to said pin and centered relative to said first legportion.

2. A key retainer according to claim 1 in which the keeper pin isfloatably supported within the tubular portions of the supporting plateand is limitedly movable in an axial direction within said tubularportions.

3. A key retainer according to claim 1 in which each keeper link firstleg portion has two first legs hingedly mounted on the keeper pin.

4. A key retainer according to claim 1 in which each keeper link issubstantially J-shaped and has its first leg hingedly mounted on thekeeper pin, said spaces between adjacent of said tubular portions beingonly slightly greater than the thickness of said first leg to guide saidlink during swinging movement about said pin, said J-shaped link havingits second leg swivelly connected with its corresponding key-engaginghook for unlimited rotation about a swivel axis intersecting said pin insaid first leg.

5. A key retainer according to claim 1 in which each keeper linkcomprises a loop having at least one upper vertical extension hingedlymounted on the keeper pin and having a horizontal leg swivelly connectedwith its corresponding key-engaging hook.

6. A key retainer according to claim 1 in which each keeper linkcomprises a U-shaped element having its two vertical legs straddling oneof said tubular portions and being respectively hingedly mounted on thekeeper pin in adjacent of said spaces, said U-shaped element having itshorizontal leg swivelly connected to its corresponding key-engaginghook.

7. A key retainer according to claim 1 in which the supporting plate andthe keper pin are both sufiiciently thin to be flexible forcompatibility with a flexible case.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,138,116 11/1938 Newman 70-4572,545,012 3/1951 Wohl 5040 3,349,590 10/1967 Elsenheimer et al. 70-4563,379,041 4/1968 Hanna 70-456 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,072,731 3/1954 France.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner R. L. WOLFE, Assistant Examiner

